


Found

by Jathis



Series: The Steward and the Sorcerer [103]
Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality, Brothers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Fluff, Heartbreak, Humor, M/M, Mother-Son Relationship, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 22:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29750259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis
Summary: Broken hearts heal together
Relationships: Baileywick/Cedric the Sorcerer
Series: The Steward and the Sorcerer [103]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091021
Kudos: 2





	Found

_ The sight of his brother in tears enraged him more than he had ever expected it to. Baileywick had come in the middle of the night, sobbing as he fell into Nigel’s arms. His clothes were poorly kept, heavily wrinkled and undone. It had taken some coaxing but he had finally gotten him to sit down in a chair, allowing Nigel to move freely around.  _

_ He fought down the urge to grab a sword and go after the cause of Baileywick’s anguish but he knew that his brother needed him here more than he needed to bash that wretched man’s head in. He put a pot of tea leaves over the fire to let the water boil, collecting honey and cups. He made his brother a cup the way he knew he liked, pressing it into his hands. _

_ “Drink,” he softly urged. _

_ Baileywick softly hiccuped, shoulders jumping and hands trembling. He focused on keeping a hold of his cup, mindful of not making a mess on his big brother’s floor. With some effort, he was able to drink some of the tea. _

_ “Oh Nigel…” he whimpered, shaking his head. He set the cup down, holding his head in his hands. “He was right! Maybe I should have been more...open to what he wanted to do. I should have matured faster. Maybe…” _

_ Nigel growled in anger. He banged his palm on the tabletop, making the cup and Baileywick jump. “No! None of that!” he said. “Don’t you ever believe anything that selfish bastard says!” _

_ “But…” _

_ “He had no right to force you to do anything. He especially had no right to sleep around like you meant nothing!” Nigel clenched his hands into fists. “If I could I would wring his neck!” _

_ “Nigel…” _

_ “But you’re more important than that weasel of a man,” he added. He knelt down, taking his little brother’s hands into his own. “You’ll get through this, Wicky. I promise.” _

_ “Do you really think so?” _

_ “I know so,” he promised. He watched as his brother nodded slowly and he smiled, using a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. “There’s the Wicky I know.” _

_ “...I think I still have some feelings for him,” he shyly confessed. _

_ “You’ll be okay. I’m here for you.” _

***

_ “I’m never going to be with anyone.” _

_ Winifred sighed at her son’s declaration. It had been a few days since his breakup with Greylock and despite his constant assurances that he was fine; it was clear he was not. “There are many others out there, Ceddykins.” _

_ “Not like me,” Cedric declared, shaking his head. His long bangs fell in front of his face, covering his eyes. “I don’t think there is anyone else like me!” _

_ “How do you mean, darling?” _

_ “Everyone wants to...to do...to do things with their significant others! I don’t!” _

_ “Surely you’ll find someone else.” _

_ Cedric shook his head, hugging himself tightly in his refusal to believe his mother. “I won’t, mummy! I am nothing like Cordelia! She has lots of suitors already! I have no one! No one would wish to be with Cedric the Bungler normally, now add in no desire for those kinds of things!” _

_ Winifred looked at her son sadly as he spoke. He was still suffering from what had happened all those years ago. People refused to let him forget such a small mistake and she was starting to think they would never let him. _

_ Gently she touched his arm. There was a moment of nothing and then his shoulder’s fell as he buried his face against her neck, weeping miserably to her. “You’ll be okay. I know you’ll find someone,” she promised, rubbing his back. “And even if you don’t...I will always be there for you, lovey.” _

***

Over the years Nigel became used to his brother no longer attempting to be with anyone else. Baileywick did perfectly fine without such things and Nigel could see that he was still loved and appreciated by the Royals he served. It was all he could hope for his little brother to have.

He smiled to himself, leaning back in his chair. He watched as his brother fussed over the royal sorcerer named Cedric, fixing his vest and robes. The two were trading good-natured barbs back and forth from what he could see. Cedric flailed a hand at Baileywick, playfully trying to push him away before allowing the older man to take hold of him again. 

Nigel had been invited to the castle to take part in a celebration of families. There had been games for adults and children alike and some of the older members of different families were encouraged to talk about the past and their own childhoods. Most of the events and excitements had finished, allowing for guests and servants alike to relax and enjoy the warm weather out in the castle’s gardens.

“I was always worried about my Ceddykins.” Winifred the Wise sat down beside Nigel, a crystal glass of wine in her hand. “I knew he wasn’t actively looking for anyone but I could still tell my boy was lonely. He just needed to find someone with similar desires as himself.”

“Wicky lost his desire for the physical side of relationships a long time ago,” he hummed. “It was stolen from him by a cruel classmate when he was in university. He hasn’t dated anyone else in over thirty years.”

She shook her head. Her husband had worked with Baileywick when he was the royal sorcerer. They had always shared a friendly relationship with the man. The idea of anyone hurting him was surprising to her. “Poor dear.”

“And now look at them.” Baileywick had just licked a handkerchief, rubbing at some kind of smudge on Cedric’s cheek. This made the younger man pout, stomping a foot but still standing and enduring the other’s attention with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You’re a grown man, Cedric,” Baileywick reminded him.

“I can clean up after myself!” he cried.

“Evidently not,” Baileywick sniffed. He tucked the handkerchief away once he was finished, looking the other over once more. “I suppose you look the smallest bit presentable now,” he said.

Cedric snorted, giving him a light shove on the shoulder. “And what about you?”

“What about me?” He blinked as Cedric took his hand, holding it up to look over his ring. He blushed as the sorcerer made a point of running his hands over it, fixing the small piece of jewelry by turning it on his finger just so.

“Your ring was crooked,” Cedric declared with a righteous sniff.

“Oh?”

“Yes.”

“Then I am forever in your debt,” he said. Cedric puffed out his chest and he laughed, shaking his head before pulling him closer to kiss him on the lips. Cedric hugged him around his middle and he hummed, resting a hand on his cheek as their foreheads were pressed together.

Nigel and Winifred smiled at the sight, sharing a knowing look between the two of them.


End file.
